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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. club — for dancing
  4. stem — to come from
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. march — the month
  8. bore — to tire
  9. march — the month
  10. race — the arms race
  11. club — a group
  12. race — humankind
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. chair — a leader
  16. bear — the animal
  17. club — for golf
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. bore — to drill
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. march — music
  22. race — a contest
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. pass — a permit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com